- Central Hudson serves about 315,000 electric customers across eight Mid-Hudson Valley counties, including Poughkeepsie, Kingston, and Newburgh, as an independent Fortis Inc. company through CH Energy Group (Fortis, as of June 2026).
- New York residential power averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and Central Hudson is a higher-cost downstate-adjacent territory, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets a pricey one.
- A standard Central Hudson home is credited through Phase One net metering at the full retail rate (supply plus delivery) under the New York Net Metering Successor Tariff, not the VDER Value Stack (Central Hudson Interconnection Queue, as of June 2026).
- A monthly Customer Benefit Contribution applies to new solar accounts and is not erased by your solar credits (Central Hudson DG FAQs, as of June 2026).
- New York’s state credit is 25% of system cost, capped at $5,000, and it is separate from the federal credit that ended (NY Dept. of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of 2026), so a 2026 buyer cannot claim the federal credit, but New York’s own benefits still apply.
If Central Hudson is your electric utility in the Mid-Hudson Valley, this is how rooftop solar actually credits you in 2026, including a couple of New York details that catch people off guard. Central Hudson Gas & Electric is an independent Fortis company, not a Con Edison subsidiary, and it has its own rate schedule and its own approach to crediting solar. A standard home is credited through net metering at the retail rate rather than the Value Stack, there is a monthly charge New York adds to solar accounts, and while the federal tax credit ended for 2026 buyers, New York’s own state credit did not. This page covers Central Hudson’s rate, how its net metering works, the charge that surprises people, what is open under NY-Sun in its region, how you connect, and how to tell whether your roof is a good fit.
Central Hudson solar in 2026, at a glance
Central Hudson is the regulated electric delivery utility for the Mid-Hudson Valley and the interconnection authority for solar in that territory. Because it is sometimes confused with the other downstate New York utilities, it is worth being clear about who it is.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Service territory | The Mid-Hudson Valley, about 2,600 square miles across eight counties (Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, Putnam, Columbia, Greene, and parts of Albany and Sullivan) (Fortis) |
| Owner | An independent Fortis Inc. company through CH Energy Group, which joined Fortis in 2013; not a Con Edison subsidiary (Central Hudson history) |
| Customers | About 315,000 electric customers (Fortis) |
| Rate context | New York averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, March 2026); Central Hudson charges a fixed monthly customer charge plus per-kWh delivery set in its PSC tariff |
| Default crediting | Phase One net metering: exports credited at the full retail rate under the NY successor tariff (Central Hudson Interconnection Queue) |
| Other option | The VDER Value Stack, used mainly for community and larger projects rather than standard rooftop |
| New York charge | A Customer Benefit Contribution, billed monthly per kW of installed solar and not offset by your credits |
| Before you switch on | Central Hudson must issue Permission to Operate first, through its PowerClerk portal |
Why solar pays on a Central Hudson bill
New York power is expensive, which is the core reason rooftop solar pays here. New York residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and Central Hudson is a higher-cost territory, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets a pricey one from the grid. A Central Hudson bill has a fixed monthly customer charge plus per-kWh delivery and supply components, all set in its New York tariff (Schedule PSC No. 15) and updated through the year (Central Hudson distributed generation, as of June 2026). Because Central Hudson publishes those per-kWh pieces as tariff statements that change over time, the simplest way to see the rate your solar offsets is to divide the total on your Central Hudson bill by the kWh you used. The fixed monthly charge stays even after you add solar, so a solar bill is rarely exactly zero.
Your production drives the savings, so estimate it before you commit. A Mid-Hudson Valley roof makes far less power in the short days of December than in June, and the exact yearly figure depends on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shade. We do not publish a fabricated production number here. Estimate your roof’s likely annual output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator, then have your installer confirm it with a site-specific model. That production figure drives both your net-metering credits and whether the system fits your usage.
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How Central Hudson credits your rooftop solar
A standard Central Hudson home is credited through net metering at the retail rate, not the Value Stack. When your panels send power to the grid, Central Hudson nets it against the power you pull, so your meter effectively runs backward and the surplus becomes a net-metering credit you use when your home draws from the grid (Central Hudson DG FAQs, as of June 2026). Central Hudson confirms on its interconnection pages that Phase One net metering continues under New York’s Net Metering Successor Tariff (PSC Case 15-E-0751), which credits eligible residential exports at the full retail rate of supply plus delivery (Central Hudson Interconnection Queue, as of June 2026). For a plain-English primer on how export credits work in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
The Value Stack is mostly a community-solar thing here, not a rooftop thing. Central Hudson’s VDER Value Stack credits, which show up on bills as a community distributed generation credit, apply to community solar subscriptions and larger projects, not to a typical behind-the-meter home system (Central Hudson community solar, as of June 2026). So if you own a rooftop system that offsets your own use, expect Phase One net metering at retail; if you subscribe to a community solar farm instead, expect a value-stack credit on your bill. The two are different products.
| Crediting option | How you are paid | Who it tends to suit |
|---|---|---|
| Phase One net metering (default) | Exports credited at the full retail rate (supply plus delivery) under the NY successor tariff | Most homes that own a rooftop system and offset their own usage (Central Hudson Interconnection Queue) |
| VDER Value Stack | Monetary credits from wholesale energy value plus capacity and environmental values, shown as a distributed generation credit | Community solar subscriptions and larger or commercial projects (Central Hudson community solar) |
Note: New York adds a monthly charge to net-metered solar, and your credits cannot erase it. New solar accounts in Central Hudson territory pay a Customer Benefit Contribution, a non-bypassable monthly charge based on the size of your system in kilowatts, set under New York’s Net Metering Successor Tariff (Central Hudson DG FAQs, as of June 2026). It is modest relative to your savings, but it is real, it is not offset by your solar credits, and the exact per-kilowatt figure is set by tariff and changes over time, so ask Central Hudson or your installer for the current amount when you model your payback.
New York incentives a Central Hudson customer can stack
New York’s incentives do real work in 2026, and they stack on top of net metering. For the statewide picture, see our New York solar incentives hub, and our guide to solar incentives for how these fit together.
| Incentive | What it gives you | The New York detail |
|---|---|---|
| Net metering | Full retail-rate crediting on your exports under the NY successor tariff (Central Hudson Interconnection Queue) | A monthly Customer Benefit Contribution applies and is not offset by credits |
| New York State credit | 25% of system cost, up to $5,000, on Form IT-255 (NY Tax and Finance) | Non-refundable, with up to a 5-year carryforward; New York kept it for 2026 |
| State sales-tax exemption | No state sales tax on residential solar equipment (NY Tax and Finance) | Applied at purchase; many localities also waive the local portion |
| Property-tax exemption (RPTL 487) | The added home value from solar is exempt from property tax for 15 years (NY RPTL 487) | Local option: a few jurisdictions opt out, so confirm yours has not |
| NY-Sun rebate | The standard Upstate residential block has closed; an income-qualified Affordable Solar incentive (about $0.80/W) remains (NYSERDA Upstate Dashboard) | Central Hudson is in the Upstate block; confirm the live status on the NYSERDA dashboard |
The headline is that New York’s own credit survived the federal change. New York still offers a state credit worth 25% of your system cost, capped at $5,000 and claimed on Form IT-255, and it applies whether you buy with cash, a loan, a lease, or a PPA of at least 10 years (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026). On top of that, residential solar equipment is exempt from state sales tax, and New York’s RPTL 487 keeps the added home value off your property tax bill for 15 years unless your local jurisdiction has opted out (NY RPTL 487, as of 2026). Together with retail net metering, that stack is what carries the payback in 2026.
NY-Sun: what is actually open in 2026
Do not count on the old NY-Sun cash rebate as a typical Central Hudson homeowner. NYSERDA’s NY-Sun program paid a declining dollar-per-watt Megawatt Block rebate, split into Upstate, Con Edison, and Long Island regions, and Central Hudson’s territory falls in the Upstate residential block (NYSERDA Upstate Dashboard, as of June 2026). As the program wound down, the standard (non-income-qualified) Upstate residential block closed in late 2025, so most new residential applicants in Central Hudson territory no longer receive a standard per-watt rebate. What remains is an income-qualified Affordable Solar Residential Incentive, which NYSERDA lists at about $0.80 per watt for Upstate households at or below 80% of Area Median Income. If your income qualifies, that is real money toward the system; if it does not, plan your numbers around net metering and the New York State credit instead. Because NYSERDA updates these blocks over time, confirm the live status on the NYSERDA Upstate dashboard before counting any rebate.
Rooftop solar versus community solar in Central Hudson territory
Several of the Central Hudson solar results people find are about community solar, which is different from owning panels, so it helps to separate them. Community solar, which New York calls community distributed generation, is a paid subscription to a share of an off-site array, delivered as a credit on your Central Hudson bill rather than rooftop ownership (Central Hudson community solar, as of June 2026). It is the path that shows up as a value-stack credit on the bill, and it is a fair option if your own roof does not work.
| Question | Rooftop solar you own | Community solar |
|---|---|---|
| Panels on your roof | Yes, your system | No, an off-site shared array |
| Up-front cost | Cash, a loan, or a $0-up-front lease/PPA where you qualify | None; it is a subscription |
| How you are credited | Phase One net metering at the retail rate on your bill | A community distributed generation (value-stack) credit on your bill |
| New York State credit | Yes, the owner can claim the 25% state credit | No, you do not own a system |
| Best for | A sunny, structurally sound roof you plan to keep | Renters, shaded roofs, or anyone who does not want to install |
Owning a rooftop system is the path that earns retail net metering and lets you claim New York’s state credit, because you own the equipment. If a sunny roof is not an option, a community-solar subscription is a fair alternative to compare.
How to connect solar to Central Hudson
Connecting a home system follows New York’s Standardized Interconnection Requirements, administered by Central Hudson, and you cannot turn the system on until Central Hudson issues Permission to Operate. The general path is:
- Interconnection application. Your installer files online through Central Hudson’s PowerClerk Interconnection Online Application Portal with the system design and required documents (Central Hudson distributed generation, as of June 2026). Standard residential systems of 50 kW or less generally have no application fee in New York.
- Review and conditional approval. Central Hudson reviews the package for safety and net-metering eligibility and issues conditional approval. The application details must match the account holder.
- Install and inspect. A licensed contractor installs the system and it passes your local electrical inspection.
- Meter and Permission to Operate. Central Hudson sets the bi-directional net meter, then returns the executed agreement, which is your Permission to Operate. Your system can only start banking net-metering credits once it is approved to run.
A licensed installer normally manages this whole process, including the PowerClerk paperwork and your net-metering enrollment.
Watch-out: read your Central Hudson bill closely after you go solar. In September 2021, Central Hudson launched a new customer billing system whose rollout caused widespread billing errors and delayed or estimated bills, which New York’s Department of Public Service investigated and documented in a December 2022 report (NY Dept. of Public Service billing investigation, as of June 2026). The company and regulators reported most errors corrected by early 2024, but a solar bill already has several moving parts, the net-metering credit, the fixed customer charge, and the Customer Benefit Contribution, so check that your usage, your credits, and your charges look right each month, and contact Central Hudson if a bill looks off.
What changed federally, and what New York still offers
The federal homeowner credit is gone, but New York’s own programs are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a Central Hudson customer who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim the federal credit (IRS, as of 2026). For the full timeline, see what the end of the federal solar tax credit means in 2026. New York’s own benefits were not affected by that change: the state credit of 25% up to $5,000, the sales-tax exemption, the 15-year property-tax exemption, and retail net metering all still apply in 2026.
One federal exception remains, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner. On a leased system you do not file for a federal credit yourself, because the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025, so do not let a sales pitch tell a 2026 cash or loan buyer otherwise.
How to choose a solar installer in Central Hudson territory
The Mid-Hudson Valley has plenty of installers, so vetting matters. Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- A valid New York Home Improvement Contractor registration and proper insurance.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with Central Hudson interconnection and Permission to Operate, plus eligibility for any NY-Sun incentive you qualify for.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that shows the Customer Benefit Contribution and your bill after solar, rather than a rosy retail-only projection.
For comparison with the rest of downstate New York, see how the credits work under Con Edison net metering in New York City and Westchester, and under Orange and Rockland net metering in the lower Hudson Valley, and under NYSEG net metering across much of upstate New York. MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
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Frequently asked questions
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Central Hudson, CH Energy Group, NYSERDA, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, New York RPTL, EIA, and IRS sources as of June 2026; net-metering terms, the rate, the Customer Benefit Contribution, NY-Sun block status, and electricity rates reset over time, so confirm current terms with Central Hudson and NYSERDA before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.